“In partnership with SmithGroupJJR we developed a design that has far surpassed the typical expectation of a community health center, and together have redefined the focal point of our intersection. Our patients and staff have raved about the clinic and its purposeful design, and now our work in Tempe has just begun.”

—-- Dr. John Swagert, CEO, Mountain Park Health Center

Description

With five locations in the greater Phoenix area, the federally funded Mountain Park Health Center has established a reputation for providing access to quality, affordable healthcare. Mountain Park sought to triple the number of patients it could serve at its Tempe location, and also offer additional amenities that would engage and enrich the community at large. It purchased a six-acre site in Tempe that was previously used as a boat dealership, with plans to redevelop the building and grounds into an ambulatory clinic campus.

Because the client was eager to broaden its reach in the community, the design maximizes space efficiency with the use of digital check-in, a waiting area with flexible seating, soundproof sliding doors for care rooms, and collaborative work rooms for care teams rather than private offices. As a result, the 30,000-square-foot clinic can accommodate more than 100 visitors at a time, with 45 exam rooms, along with a community event space, book lending and other services.

Community engagement sessions revealed a desire for an outdoor public space, so the campus offers a walking trail, exercise pods, a children’s play area, activity lawn, small fruit orchard and tree nursery that all encourage outdoor activity and interaction. The Tempe clinic demonstrates that an innovative organization with an eagerness for creative design can do even more than provide quality healthcare—it can contribute to a healthy community that enriches the lives of all of its residents.